Wind indicator for airplane landing fields



March 21, 1933; z ws I 1,902,763

WIND INDICATOR FOR AIRPLANE LANDING FIELDS Filed Aug. 13, 1928 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FRANK M. CZAPIEWSKI, or MILWAUKEE, wIsooNsm This invention relates to wind indicators for airplane landing fields.

Devices for th 's purpose now in common use ordinarily comprises a flexible fabric bag suspended by its open end from an appropriate mast or staff, so as to swing with the wind and thereby indicate the direction and velocity thereof. At night the bag is ordinarily illuminated. by light thrown thereon from an appropriate high powered Such devices however are not dependable because of the effect of rain thereon and the liability thereof to become entangled with the supporting mast or staff. Furthermore the intense light used is blinding and not infrequently makes it difiicult to execute a safe landing. tempts heretofore made to provide a wind indicator which would be free from the above objections have not proven sufliciently satisfactory to displace the bag now in light source.

COIIlIIlOIl use.

One object of the present invention is the provisionof an entirely satisfactory wind indicator for the purposes mentioned. This I have accomplished by the use of a hollow, rigid or semi-rigid body mounted toswing with the wind and having translucent walls internally illuminated so that it may be vis-, ible, without glare, for long distances at night and readily distinguishable from other night lights and illuminated objects.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear from the following description 5 of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2. The wind in dicator shown comprises an elongated, longitudinally tapered, hollow body portion comprising a skeleton frame, made up of longitudinal members 10 rigidly connected by hoops 11, completely en- WIND INDICATOR FOR AIRPLANE: LANDING FIELDS Application filed August 18, 192$. Serial Np. 299,280.

ering 12 applied thereto.

Numerous atgreat distances at night. i

The device is shown mo closed within a water proof'translucent cov- In thisuinstance the covering 12 is a woven fabric such as linen or silk coated and impregnated with U a water proofing substance such as that com- 'monly applied to airplane wings.

The small rear end 13 of the body portion is permanently. closed by the covering while the large forward end thereof is closed by a removable nose piece 14 preferably of frosted glass or other translucent material. In this instance the nose piece 141is substantially semi-spherical and is formed with a flange 15 adapted to -seat within a supporting ring 16 permanently fixed to the .65 forward ends of the longitudinal frame members 10. As indicated in Fig. 3 the flange 15 is formed with an external groove 17 for receiving a plurality of clamp screws 18 by which the nose piece is secured to the (0 ring. The forward end of the fabric covering 12 is removablyfixed to the ring 16 by appropriate means such as a clamp ring 19 which coacts with a groove 20 inthe ring to securely bind the covering thereto. The in terior of the body is illuminated by one or more electric lights, one of which is shown at 21 mounted upon the ring 16,'so that the translucent walls and nose-piece of the body portion emits a non-glaring glow visible 01, 5

unted upon an appropriate tower 22 to swing with the wind about a-vertical axis to thereby indicate the direction of the wind, and about a horizontal axis to thereby indicate the velocity; of the wind. In this instance the ring 16, connect -ingthe bodyportion and nose piece, is provided with a pair of horizontal trunnions 23 fixed thereto and journaled in appropriate bearings 24 provided in the upper ends of a pair of arms 25, which rise from a central head 26 rotatablyseated on top of the tower. The'head 26 is preferably recessed to receive a circular bearing plate 27 fixed inthe tower, and the plate 27 isalso preferably cen trally recessed to receive a central hub portion 28 projectingfrom the head. .A stud 29, screwedinto and through the plate 27, is provided with a flanged head 30wh1ch 00- acts with appropriate tapered roller bearings 31 in the head 26 to retain the head on the plate 27 and to permit free rotation of the head about the axis of the stud 29. An appropriate ball bearing 32 between the head 26 and plate 27 sustains the weight of the'head and partscarried thereby.

When mounted in the manner described. the body portion, which is ordinarily from ten to twenty feet long, is free to swing about the stud 29 under the action of the wind so that it always assumes a position paralleling the direction of the wind with the larger end and nose piece .14: directed into the wind. With a strong wind blowing the body portion=assumes the horizontal position shown but in cases of light winds or no wind it approaches the inclined position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The

device thus indicates not only the direction but the velocity of the wind. [A portion of the .nosepiece l4; and particularly the central area thereof within the circle 33, 1s

' preferably colored red in order to clearly distinguish the forward end from the rear .endo'fthe body portion. The color "red is selected'as a warning to the pilot who might otherwiseattempt alanding while flying toward the forward end and consequently .in a

direction with the wind.

' The light '21 is supplied with electricity from an appropriatesource through-a contact ring 84 carriedby the plate 27, a contact element carried by the head 27, and an appropriatefiexible lead .36.

' Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificingany'of the advantages of the invention as defined in-the appended claims.

I claim I 1. In a'wind indicator the combination of .a hollow elongated body portion having "translucent walls, a supporttheref'orfa pivotal connection between said support and said body portion permitting the same to swing with the wind about a. substantially vertical axis to thereby indicate the direction of the wind, and a rockableconnection between said support and saidbody portion permitting the same to rock' about a substantially horizontal axis in accordance with the changes in wind velocity to thereby indicate the velocity ofthe wind, and means for illuminating the interior of said body portion to render the same visible at night.

2. In awind indicatorthe combinationof a hollow longitudinally tapered body portion having translucent walls, a support therefor adjacent thelargerend thereof, a

rockable connection .between said support and body portion permitting the same. to asthe interior of said frame, and a pivotal support for said frame permitting the same to swing with the wind. v

4. In a wind indicatorthe combination of an elongated frame, a covering of translucent material drawn over said frame to completely enclose the same, a translucent nose piece removably fixed to said frame to close the end thereof, means for illuminating the interior of said frame, and a pivotal support for said frame.

5. In a wind indicator thecomb-ination of .an elongated frame, a covering of translucent material drawn over said frame, a.

ring at one end of said frame, a nose. piece removably attached to said ring to close said frame, a support for said frame pivotally connected to said ring, and means for .il-

'luininating the interior of said frame.

6. Ina wind indicator the combination of an elongated frame, a ringattached to one end of said frame, a translucent covering drawn over said frame and removably attached to said ring, a nose piece removably attached to said ring to close saidframe, a support for said frame pivotally connected to said ring, and means for illuminating the interior of said frame.

'7. In a wind indicator the combination of a mast, a pivotal support on said mast, an

elongated frame mounted on said. pivotal support, a translucent nose piece removably fixed to said frameto close the end thereof, a covering of translucent material applied to said frame to complete the closure thereof, and means for illuminating the interior of said frame.

8. In a wind indicator the combination of a mast, an elongated frame pivotally .connected to said mast, permitting said frame to swing about a substantially vertical axis with changes in the direction of wind,'-a translucent nose piece removably attached to said frame to close one end thereof, a covering of translucent material for enclosing the remainder of said "frame, means for releasably retaining said translucent material upon said frame, and means for illuminating the interior of said frame.

9. In a device of the character described the'combination of an elongated hollow body tapered fromend to end and having translucent walls completely closing the same, in-

ternal illuminating means for said body, pivotal mounting means for said body attached thereto adjacent the larger end thereof, and an elevated support for said mounting means by which said body is supported clear of the ound surface and is permitted to swing eely with changes in the direction of the wind, said translu- 7 cent walls including an exposed translucent 10 nose piece removably fixed to the larger end of said body. 7 V

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of July, 1928.

FRANK M. OZAPIEWSKI. 

